Composite strap



June 21, 1960 E. R.OU1MET 2,941,914

COMPOSITE STRAP Filed May 28, 1957 INVENTOR 1,

United States Patent COMPOSITE STRAP Emil R. Ouimet, Ouimet Stay & Leather Co., 31 Monument St., Brockton, Mass.

Eiled May 28, 1957, Ser. No. 662,268

1 Claim. (Cl. 15453.6)

This invention relates to a composite strap for miscellaneous purposes, the strap being usually of a relatively small size such as one-quarter to three-eighth of an inch in width, but larger sizes can be had if desired. Small straps of this type are often made of strips of patent leather, the margins of which are folded longitudinally toward each other so that the side edges of the strip abut. The margins are usually folded about a core of textile tape. Since strips of leather, patent or otherwise, are necessarily of limited length since they must be cut from hides, straps of this kind show a visible joint line owing to the necessity of overlapping the end portions of the strips which are secured together to form the strap. It is an object of the invention to provide a strap similar to those previously in production, the improved strap having no visible joint but being of uniform thickness throughout. This is done by employing a strip of suitable, flexible, synthetic resin such as polymers of vinyl chloride, such material being available in strips of unlimited length. For a more complete understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following description thereof and to the drawing of which- Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of plastic and leather strips which are to be assembled to form a strap embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of an assembled strap embodying the invention;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a strap having the marginal portions folded over to abut the side edges of the original strip, this form having a textile tape core;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a piece of finished strap having an extra cover strip stitched to one face thereof; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a strap similar to that shown in Figure 3 but without the textile core.

As shown in Figure 1 a strip of flexible plastic material such as polymers of vinyl chloride is provided. By way of illustration and not limitation the strip 10 may be of an inch wide. Adhesively secured to this strip of indeterminate length is a series of strips 12 of thin leather. These leather strips are necessarily of limited length but are cut so that the width of each strip 12 is equal to that of the strip 10. When successive 2,941,914 Patented June 21, 1960 strips 12 of leather are adhesively secured to one side of the strip 10 with their ends being joined as at 14, a laminated strap 16 is thus formed as illustrated in Figure 2, this laminated strap being of indeterminate length and of uniform width, thickness and external appearance.

The strap 16 can be used as such or it can be made into a narrower, thicker strap 18 such as is shown in Figure 3. To make this strap, the strap 16 shown in Figure 2 is folded, the marginal portions 20 being folded inward so that the side edges of the laminated strap 16 abut each other as at 22. These margins are folded about and enclose a core 24 of suitable material such as a textile tape. The resulting strap is a little more than twice as thick as the strap 16 shown in Figure 2 and has a width about li of an inch, these figures being given by way of illustration only. The margins 20 are preferably but not necessarily of equal width so that the longitudinal butting edges form a seam 22 extending down the longitudinal median of the strap 18. If preferred the textile core 24 may be omitted, the resulting strap 26 being similar to the strap 18 except for the omission of the core 24.

The strap 18 or the strap 26 may have on one side face thereof a cover strip 30 the width of which is equal to or slightly less than the width of the strap 18 or 26. This strip 30 is thin and flexible and may be in the form of a Woven tape. The strip is applied to the face of the strap having the seam 22 thereon so that it covers and conceals this scam. The strip 30 may be attached in any suitable manner such as by lines of stitching which go through the strip and through the margins of the strap 18 or 26. Adhesives may be used in addition to or instead of the stitching 32 to secure the strip 30 to the strap 18 or 26.

' The straps shown in Figures 3, 4 and S are characterized by continuous smoothness uninterrupted by visible joints such as occur in similar straps made of pieces of patent leather or the like the ends of which pieces are lapped to secure them one to another.

I claim:

As a new article of manufacture, a laminated strap comprising a one-piece strip of flexible synthetic resin of indefinite length, a continous series of strips of thin leather of the same width as the strip of resin joined end to end and cemented to said strip of resin, the margins of said laminated strap being folded over and adhesively secured with the side edges thereof abutting along the longitudinal median of the strip, and a textile tape core enclosed under said folded margins.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,516,571 Moore Nov. 25, 1924 1,802,243 Fisher Apr. 21, 1931 2,124,210 Prindle July 19, 1938 2,549,985 Normington Apr. 24, 1951 2,657,161 Luitwieler Oct. 27, 1953 

